Oscas lodge



0. LODGE TRACTGR.

@ammore FILED MAY 8. Hi8.

Patented June 3, 1919.

2 SHEETS-S A ningun-ausili.

OSCAR T JQDGE, 0F NEJV BRIGHTON, EEE'NSYLVAN 1A.

Speccation of Letters Patent.

Patented June 3, 1919.

Application filed May S, 19113. `:Ecrial i'o. 233,291.

and useful Improvements in Tractors; and 1 do hereby declare the following to 'be a full, clear, and exact description of the, invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to tractors, and the primary object oi the invention is to provide a novel propelling structure for antractor including a plurality of traction shoes which are connected to crank shafts, that are driven from the engine or prime mover of the tractor, for moving the traction slices into engagement with the ground and' torcing the tractor forwardly which tractor shoes embody the advantages of a caterpiilar tread without requiring thesame amount of power.

further object of this invention is to provide a yieideble connection between the traction shoes and the rear crank shaft to allow the shoes to move upon engagement' with undulations in the over which the tractor is traveling.

1Vlith the foregoing and other ohjccts in view, this invention consists in such novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts es will be heroine-iter more fully descrihed, illustrated in the accompany ing; drawings end claimed. 4

In describing the invention in detail, reierence will be hady to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters designste like and corresponding parts throughout the severel views, end in which: d 4

Figure 1 is a plan of the improved attachn ent, showing it applied to spart or a trac for,

Fig. 2 is a section through a tractor, illustrating the improved tractor device applied thereto,

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the resilient.-connection between the traction shoes and the rear crank shaft,l

Fig. ei is a 'section through one oi the trac tion shoes, and v Fig. 5 is a section through one of the trac tion shoes, showing the adjustable cleat.

Fig. G is a. detail sectional. view of the means for raising and lowering the rear crank shaft.

of Beaver and Statcof Pennsylvania, have invented certain new Referring more particularlyto the drawings, 1 designates the-supporting trame of y the tractor as an entirety, which may be of any ordinary type. The supporting frame 1 has a rear axle 2 carried thereby Aupon which are mounted theusual type of supporting wheels 3. 1t also has aV front axle 4 carried thereby, uponl which are mounted supporting wheels 5. It is to be understood that any or the ordinary" constructions of tractors may be employed, without depart'- ing from .the spirit of this invention.

,v .ei-prime mover 6 is employed for operat-V ing the tractor and this nectedl through prime mover 1s con- -a gear transmission structure 7 with a shaft 8 which extends transversely across'therame or chassis 1 of the tractor. rthe usual type of clutch mechanisni indicated generically at 9 may be em-4 ployed for controlling the rotation of the shaft 8. i

VThe shaft 8 has' a gear 10 mounted thereupon which upon a crank shaft 12. The crank shaft 12 is supported by suitable bearings 13 carried by the side rails and members 13a of the supporting frame 1ct the tractor, and it is connected through the medium of a pair of sprockets 14 and 15, and a sprocket chain 16 with e second or rear crank shai't 17. rihe cranks 18 of the front crank shaft 12 are positioned directly in alinement with the cranks 19 of 'the rear crank shaft 17 and the corresponding cranksupon each shaft extend in the same direction, as clearly shown in Fig. 1 ott' the drawings. A pair of opposed cranks is formed upon each of the crank chai-ts. The cranks 18 of the front crank shaft 1Q have connecting rods 20 Connected thereto, which yconnecting rods are pivotally connected tothe front ends of the traction shoes 21. The connected rodseie provided with pivots 21 at each end to permit a side' motion of the shoes during the operation o the device.

meshes with a gear 11 mounted The traction shoes 21 have rods 22 pivl otally connected thereto, as shown at 23, bctween their ends. The rods 22 extend slidahly inr sleeves 24, which sleeves are connected to the cranks i9 of the rear crank shaft 17 by suitable coupling structures, indicated at 25. The sleeves :2s are provided with pivots 25a, which coperate with the pivots 21 in crinitting the side motion of the shoes. oil springs 26 are mounted within the sleeves 2li and engage the upper ends of the rods-22 foryieldably forcing the traction shoes 21 downwardly. Rods 27 eX- tend downwardly centrally within the sleeves 24 and they are slidably mounted in bores or recesses 28 formed in the rods 22, as clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The rods 22 are provided with slots 22a that receive bolts 23 to prevent the sleeves and rods from separating when the vshoes are lifted from engagement with the ground.

Each of the traction shoes 21 is formed of va pair of I beams 29, which are braced and surfaces, a plurality of cleats 32 .bei g1 formed upon the under or ground-engagi gi surfaces of the plates` 31, for biting into e ground, to prevent slipping of the shoes during the operating thereof;

The rotation of the crank shafts '12 and 17 will impart a movement to the shoes 21, and move the shoes first downwardly into engagement with the ground, and any further movement of the crank shaft will force the vehicle or tractor forwardly, for a portion of the movement of the crank shaft, after which the shoes will beraised upwardly and moved forwardly for again being moved downwardly into engagement with the surface over which the tractor is traveling for propelling the same. The cranks 18 and 19 of the crank shafts 12 4and 17 being disposed Yin opposite pairs will cause a pair of the traction shoes 21 to always be in a pushing position or in engagement with the ground. The provision of the shoes, andthe manner of operating them, will permit the tractor to pass over relatively high obstacles, without any apparent effort.

In Fig. 5 of the drawings, an adjustable cleat is illustrated, which cleat is designed for use when the tractor isvtraveling over lmud or slippery places. The improved adjustableecleat comprises the cleat proper indicated by the numeral 40, which has a vertical feed screw 41 swivelly connected thereto, as shown at 42. The feed screw 41 extends upwardly through a plate 43, which is attached in any suitable manner to the I beams 29. A' nut 44 is mounted upon the feed screw and engages the upper surface of the plate 43. A crankhandle 45 is mounted upon the upper end of the feed screw-"for rotating the same and when the feed screw .is rotated, the cleat body 40 may be raised or lowered out of an operative position or into an operative position when necessary.

The rear crank shaft is journaled in bearings 46 carried by links 47 that are pivoted to the ends of arms 48. The arms 48 are securxlfto anelevating shaft 49 journaled in standard`s"50\s\ecurcd to the frame 1. The shaft 49 has ascgmental rack 51 secured thereto, the teeth of which mesh with a worm 52 carried by an operating shaft 53 journaled in a standard 54 carried by the frame 1. The operating shaft 53 is provided with a handle 55 for rotating the same to elevate and lower the shaft 17, which moves the shoes out of and into engagement with the ground, as desired.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the advantages of construction and the method of operation of the improved tractor will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains,

and, while in the foregoing description, the principle of the operation of vthis invention has been described together with various features of construction, 1t 1s to be understood that certain nnnor features of construction, combination and arrangement of p 2. In a tractor, a forward crank shaft, a Y

rearward crank shaft, means for simultaneously rotating said crank shafts, a plurality of traction shoes, cleats carried by the ground engaging surfaces of said traction shoes, connecting rods connected to the cranks of the front crank shaft and to said traction shoes near their forward ends, yieldable means connecting the cranks of the rear crank shaft to said traction shoes between the ends of the shoes, the crank of said crank shaft being arranged whereby one of said shoes will be moved lupwardly, forwardly and downwardly whfo. another of the shoes is in a ground engaging position and further arranged to apply a pushing force to the traction shoes when in a ground engaging position to propel the tractor.

3. In a tractor, a, forward crank shaft, a rear crank shaft, means for rotating said- `crank shafts, a plurality of traction shoes moulced within said seoves and onfmgng the ends of said last name rod for yedaby connecting the traction shoes to the rear crank shaft.

4. In o, tractor, 'a purality of tm'tion shoes, crank shafts, means {otatng sai crank shafts, means connecting said om r. shafts and said shoes :for moving fhe shoes upwardy, forwardly, and downwardly andapplyng :L pushing force to the shoes when Loom@ in a downward position, and mamas elevating one of the crank shafts to render the shoos inope'atve.

' In testimony whereof I ax my signature in presence oit two Witnesses.

OSCAR Lomo@ itnesses: j y

M. CUTHBERTSON9 -MARY A. VVIBE., 

